Commentary on the Holy Bible

Veise II. Whom thaU. I bring tqf] Ibe woman eertain^ meant no mora than making her jiinulfar peraonify whomaoever the mieriat ihould wiah. In Uk eyoc&tion of s^ta, thit if all that, according to the profeued rules of their art, such persoDa pretend to; for over human ebula in paratHte, or in Uie internal regions, they have no power. If ve allow that there la auch an art, founded on true prineiple^ all it can pretend to ia, to bring up the familiar i eauae him, when necnaaaiy, to asaume Uttform and diarudtr of some particular perscMi; and to give auch notice^ relative to Jiuuritji, as oe is able 10 collect. And this, even in the casea to which autbentieity ia general^ allowed, iaoAen scanty, vague, and uncertain; lor fallen apiritado not abound in munritdge: this ia an attribute of God; and raya of thia perfection are imparted to pure and holy ioielligencea: and even Satan bimaelf, as may be aeen firom moat of hie temptadona, ia fax from acceUing in Imotelodge. He may be cunning and iwidunu, but be certainly is a<A vinaodprudent: we, in general, give dus fidlen spirit credit for much more wisdom than he poaaeaaes.

VeTM 12. When the woman &av Samml] That Sam' utl did appear on this occaaion, is most evident (rom (he textf nor can thia be denied from any legitimate mode of inierpretaiioo: and it ia as evident, that he was neither mtaed by the power of the devil, nor the incantadona of the witch, for the appearances which took place at thia time were such as atie waa wholly unac^^uainted with. Her familiar did not appear; and, from the confliaed description ahe gives, it is fiilty evident that ehe was both sDrpriaed and aiarmt^ at what ehe saw; being so widely different from what she expected to aee.

Verse 13. / aata god$ atetnding out qf the tarlh.] The •word OTf}M eiohim, whidi we translate gods, is the word whi^ ia used for the Supreme Being throughout the Bible: but all the Vermont, the Chaidee excepua, translate it in the pturai number, as we do. The Chaidee has, / tee »n ipkSd malacca diyai, on angetqf the Iiord — atcendimg from the earA, Imia eight alarmed the woman; it waa What dM did not expect j in this she could not recognize hsr flumiiar, and she was terrified at the appearance.

VsrselC Anoldmancomethup; andheacmeredwiA a mMite.^ This seems to have been a #Mond apparition i rite eannot mean that she had seen goda aacending out of the earth, and theae godt were luce an old man wiih. m mantle. The angehe appearance first mentioned prepared the way for Samuel; and the whole waa done ao as CD rilow to the woman that her art had not prevailed in dw present ioatance; and that what waa noir taldiqt place VMS iriwlly independent of her ineanlatioiM.

Saul perceived that it toaa Samutl\ The description «M suitable to hia person and clothing.

17 And ihe Lord hath done * to him, * as he spake by rme: for the Lord hath rent the kinsdom out of thine hand, and ^ren it to thy neighbour, even to David:

18 ■Because thouobeyedstnottiieToieeofthe Lord, nor executedst his flerce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thin^ unto thee thia day.

19 Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Ibrael with fhee into the hand of the Phnistiiieii; and to-morrow »katt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

30 Then Saul *■ fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, bectuue of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he* had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

21 ^ And the woman came unto SanI, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have ■> put my life in my himd, and have hearkened unto thy words whidi thou spakeet unto me.

23 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thoa

deed, her inosntatimis had no nflnenee in tha busiaessi and It doea not i^ipear that she had oommenoed twr spsra- tions before the angeU had prepared the way of the prophet; and before the propiiet himaetf had made nia appearance..

Utai thmi mayttt make Anovn mUo me wiat I shall do.] In bis former difficulties, and wbenwessed by his enemies, he waa in tbehidutefcoBsnlling Samuel; aadnsw be applies to him as Ids former preceptor.' God, he knew, might answer by such a man as Samuel, when he would answer by no ouier means.

Verse l6. Wherefore then doat thmt a»lc of me?} Wm ever I wont to give anawera diat were not cGctated by (he I.ord1 It is hia couaael alone diat I communicate.

Terae 17. TTie Lord haih done la him} I believe ihes* words are noken of Saul; and as they are spoken to hhn, it aeema evident that him dioald be thee. TTie Tulgats has Ubij the S^>touint m, to thsk i and diia ia (be rwdhv of Jhe of KennKotea and Dt ItoaaPa MSS. as well as oiMXh the Bibles printed at Yenice, in 1518, wbere ws read i*; leca, to thkb, instead of iV h>, to him.

Verae 19. TV-norroiv ahalt thou and Ay sons be viA me] What an awful meaaage I in the eourae of the enauing day ihou shalt be slain t thy three sons ahall be alain j and the lu-miea of Israel shall at delivered into the hands of ihs Philistines I Can any person read this, pronerly conaidering the situation of this unfortunate inonarai, the triumidi of the enemies of Ood, and the speedy ruin in which tns Kodlihe Jonathan is about to be mvolved, without feeling me keenest anguish of heart 1

But Samuel says, "he and hia sons Bho(dd be with him." Does not this mean that they were to go (o paradiae? I suppose it meana no more (ban ihat (hey should all die. Yet the paraphrase of the lUv. C. Wesley is beautifiil:

Saul bad committed the ain unto death; the sin to bs viailsd with a violent death, while die mercy of God was extendod to the soul. Thus say my faith, my hope, and my AarHyt—voA doth not the mercy of Godsay tha aame7

Verse 20. Then Saul felt ^raightway all along on the - sarA] Literally, As feU mtk hia own ungA, or with As futneaa ^ hia Mature. He waa ao overwhelmed with diia moat dreadliil message, that he swooned away, and thus feU at hia whole length upon Ihe groand. The woman, being terrified, had probably wiihdrawn to aoma distance at the first appearance of the prophei; and Swul waa left alone with Samuel. After some shmt time, th* wrnioA 00704 again uoio Saul, found him son troubladf ■nd oStred hln those suoeoun which humanity dietaied.

also imto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morBel of bread before thee: and eat, that thou mayest have atrength when thou goest on thy way.

83 But he refused, and eaid, I will not eat. But hiB servants, together with the woman, competied him; and lie hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

24 And the woman had a < fat calf m the bouse; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake ^ unleavened bread thereof:

25 And she broi^ht it before Saul, and before hie servants;a4ul they did eat. Then they arose up, and went away that' night.

^ "NfOW Mhe Philistines (fathered to- AmuM li gether all their armies' to Apbek: Z.^ r^ and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; but David and his men passed on in the rereward ' with Achish.

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews h^e? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not

this David, the «erv«nt of Saul the kuac rael, which hath been with me ^ these or these years, and I have i fotud no fonlt in hira since be fell-uTUo me unto this day?

4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him: and the princes of the PbHistines said unto him, ^ Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not eo down with us to battle, lest ■ in ^e luittle he be an-adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? shouid it not b« with the heads of these men?

5 Is not this David, of whom the^r saw one to another in dancce, saying, * Saul dew his thousands, and David his ten thonsaDds?

. 6 If Then Acluah called David, and said tmte him, Surely, as the Loan liveth, thou hast be<m upri^t, and " thy going out and thy coming hi with me in the host is good in my sight: Ibr * I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto ma unto this day: Devertheless P the lords favour thee not

7 Wherefore now retnm, and go in pcaea, that thoa ^disj^ense not the kM:da vC Um Iniitts* tines.

8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant BO long as I have been ' with thee unto this day, that I may not go fi|^t against the enenuM of my lord the king 7

Terse 23. /i0<ttso< It is d* woader that not only hii ttrengtk, but elm hit a^telUe, had departed from him.

And »ttt upon the tr«d] Bed», or caudua. were the OOmmoD |daeee on viuch the ancienta aat to take their re- had a fat eaff} TKe aoeiente used greu despatch in their cookery. In hot countries they could not keep fieih-meat by them soy length of time: hence diey generally kept young aniDuls, am eaht», tavAt, laakida, ready m ■laosiiter; aiid wbta then wu occaaton, one of them was tailed, and dnseed immediately.

UnUavnud frreotf] Here was BOt time to.beke /eot- 0iud brtadi that would have taken eonuderable time, in order titat the learen might leaven the whole lump.

The transections of this chapter oceu[rr one night only. 1. Saul came by night to En-dm; ver. 8. 2. He codbuKed the^oman, and nad his conference with Samuel the ■une night: for no time whatever uipean to have been lost after his ftrri<ral at En-dor. 3L He was overconu: the heavy tidtngB which he heard: and whidi, for a tUn^ appear to have deprived him of all power. 4. Hie woman killi a calfi dresaea a part; makes aijd bakee bread; end Saul and hie eervants eat. And, 6. Tfiey rose and went away that night, ver. 26. The next day, in all probabili^, the battle happened, in which Iirael was dented, and Saul and his sons lost their lives.

Thssb is a considenble diveraity.of opinioi^ both anong kamed and ptotu men. relative to the suhiect mentionea in this chapter, that of raiMng Samuel jnm Ike dead. Some deny the poe»ibilHy of the thing, and say that it was the devil that personified iSoraue^; and others, that the whole was the iNqMsMoit ti this cunning woman; and thai there was no suptrnatural ageDor in the business. "niU it not a proper place to argue me point I have given my opinioa m toe oolea. rmsfy aim in a few particulars.

1. I beheve thereieannwriuAtralaiideirfrjliMl wtvld, Ib which HVMAN apirH*, both good and bad, live in a stale of eoneciousnesB.

3. I believe diere is an <RrirfUsieorb( in which various ardere of tpirite, not human, live and aet.

3. I believe that anv of these epiriu may, according to the order of God, in ine lawi of their place of reeidetiee, have intercouree with thia world, and become visible to mortal*.

4. I believe there is a poesibility, }m arts not strictly good, to evoke aitd have intercourse with spirit^ itot rv- MAvi and to employ in aeenain'tiniled way, dwir power and influence. •

IbsKeve that the woman at Bn-dor had no power orer Smtutt nor that any buwiation can avsij over

6. I believe fibmtid did aetuaJfi/ appear to Saul, aad that he was aent, by the espedal mercy ^ Ood, to wart this infatuated king of hie approaehii^ deaih, that bs n»g^have an oppwtum^oo make his peace with bk

7. I believe tliat the woman found, from the ofipearatteee, that her reoi or prdended dtarmg had do effect | and that, what oov took plioe^ came from a totally ^Btf ent diapoeition of things from those with which Mw wss

8. I believe diat dinet, cireumetantial, and mnqnivoesl oracles were nOw delivered, conceming which oeiiber human nor diabolical wisdom could foresee or peDWate; that the defeat of the Israelites, and the death of Seal and his three sons on the fbllowing day, were mattera whic^ from their nature, could only be known to God hiawtf t ftnd that no demon or bad spuit could be employed in >neh a tranaaction.

MOTES ON CHAPTER XXIX Yerse 1. TV Apkek} This was aplace in the vaD^ at JezreeL between mount Tabor and Gnlboa.

Piiehed by ajbuntain} To bo near ^fountain, or co|Mou« epring iff mter, waa a point of great importanes to an army in countries such as tljes^ where wattf was so very acarce. It wae supposed that it waa at ibis saau /ountain that William of Tyre says, Saladin pttdied hie camp, while Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, pitched hia In another fountain, between Nazareth and Sepphois; oaet, being anzioua to aecure that without which it was impoaaible for their armiea to aubsiat.

Verse 3. TTuee daye, or iHeee yeart] I auppoae tbeae worda to mark no definite time; and may be undnood thus: " la not this David, who has been with me fcs a considerable time 1"

Verse 4 Tht prineee the PhiHatinta vere woti^ It is strange that they had not yet heard of David's d»- struetion of a village of the Geshunlea, Gexnta*, aad Amalekitea, chap, zzvii. Had they heard tA thi^ they would have seen much more cause for auspicioo.

vsrse B. iJoserf «aui» tsABl fcoM J dme 7] Or. Isr, «d odisrs stay say what tbij wiO u> nake Dantasl a esMstateil pan in lb» busineHi but it is vum srtiwfc trluMTer his inlenffoM mi^t be as u the part ha was IS

9 And Achiflh answered and said to Davul, I know that thou art good in my sight, ■ as on anKel of God: notwithstanding, > the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee; " and as soon as ye be up early in the morning'tand have li^ht, depart.

11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. ' And the FbiliHtiDes went up to Jezreel.

A N£> it came to pass, when David Aw» ure xL and his men were come to Ziklag i.oiTmp.iftia jj^jpj jjjjy^ jjj^j jjjg, Amalek-

ites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire;

2 And had taken the ' women captives that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

3 1[ So David and his men come to the cit:^, and, behold, it was burnt with fire: and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lilted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 And David's ' two wives were taken cap-

tak« in the approacbiiu; botile, he did Intend to penunde Achiah that he would fifi^ht agairut larael; and &ffecla to ieel his reputation injured by not being permitted, on thii occasion, to show his fidelity to the kuig of Oath.

It was in the order of Giod'i gracious providence that the Philiatino lords refused to let David ^o with them to this battle. Hod he gone, he had his choice of two sins: FiriL If he had fbu^t for the PkUUtinea, he would have fuught against God, and his country. SecondJif, If he had in the baXtle gotu over to the bratlitea, he would have deceived, and oecome a traitor to the hospitable Achiah. God, therefore, >o ordered it, in his mercy, that he was nnt permitted to go to a battle in which he was sure to be disgraced, whatever side he took, or with what success soever he might be crowned.

Verse 9. A» an angel qf God] There is some reason to think that Achiah had actually embraced, or was fkvourobly disposed toward, the JewUh religion. He speaks here of 0\e angeie qf God, as a Jew might be expected to speak; and, in ver. 6. he appeals to, oiid swears by, Jc/wvak: which, pei^ps. no Philistine ever did. It is possible that Ike mi^nt have learned many important truths from David, during the lime be sojourned with him.

Verse 10. Wim Oty moMler'a aervantt} Who were these 1 has been very properly asked; and, to this question, there can fae but two answers:

1. TIiG fix hundred ItraellUe whidi were with him; and who might still be considered tho aubjeela qf Savl, thoufh now residing tn a ibreigii land.

2. T\it servants oT Aciiish; i. e. David's men thus considered i becouio, on his coming to Oaih, he had, in effect,

Eiven up himaelf and bis men to Achish. But Saul may Bibe maattir to whom Achish refim, and the words convey a delicate information to David that he is no vassal, but still at lih-errv.

NOI'ES OX CHAPTER XXX. Verse 1. On the third day] This was the third day after be had left the Philistine army at A^k. Calmet ■upposes that Aphek wai distant from Ziklag more than thirlu leagues.

Tne Amalekiles had invaded] These were, doubtless, a tiavelting predatory horde; who, availing themselves Vol. I.— Da

tives, Ahinoam the Jezreeh'tesn, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 And David was greatly distressed; ■for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the petyile was ■ grieved, every man for his sons and tor his daughters: ^ but Davitl encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

7 ' And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, tM'ing me nitber tbe ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

8 And David inquired at the Lord, saying. Shall I purstteaAer this troop? shall I overtate them 1 And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake them, and wittiout fail recover all.

9 So David went^ he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were \e(t behind stayed.

10 But David pursued, he and four hunared men: * for two nuudred abode behind, whioli were so faint that they could not go over tho brook Besor.

11 And the^ found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;

12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and 'when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water^ three days and three nights.

13 AimI David said unto him, To whom belon^est thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekiie; and my master left me here, because three days agone I fell sick,

14 We made an invasion upon the south of f the Cherethites, and upon the coaat which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of ^ Caleb; and we burnt ZiklEtg with fire.

of the war between the Philistines and Israelites, plundered several unprotected towns, and among them Ziklag. It is likely they had nM heard of what David did tosome of their tribes, else they would have avenged thraoselves bj slaying all they found in Ziklag.

Verse 4. H ept, unlii they had no more power to WMp-} This marks great distress; they wept, as says the Fu^ gate, till their tears foiled them.

Verse 6. The people wpake of ttoning Aint] David hod done much to civilize those men; nit we find, by this, of what an unruly and ferocious spirit they were: and yet they strongly felt the ties of natural affection; thev grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters.

David encouraged hiiiuelf in the Lout] He found ht could place very little confioence in his men; and, as be was conscious tlwt this evil had not happened either throueh his neglect or folly, he saw he might the more confidently exfwct succour from his Maker.

Verse J. Bring me hither the ephod] It acems as if David had put on the ephod, and inquired of the Lord for himself: but it is more likely that he caused Abiathar to do it.

Verse 9. The brook Boor} This had its source in the mountain of Idumea, and fell into tbe Hediterraneao sea bmnd Oaza. Some suppose it to have been the saina with tbe river of the wudemess, or the river of ^npt. The sense of diis, and the following verse, is, that when they came to the brook Besor, there were found tw Awndred out of his hundred men so spent with fatigu^ that they oouki proceed no fiulher. Tbe noggafi^ or «t(^, was left there, (ver. 24.) and they were appoiated to guard it.

Verse 13. flijf matter left me, becauMO threedayt agone Ifdl tick] This was very inhuman i though they had booty enough, and no doubt assea plenty to carry the invalids, yet they left this poor man to perish: and God visited it upon them; as he made this very person the means of their destruction, by the information which be was enabled to give to David and his men.

15 And David se^ to him, Canst thou brinit me down to thie company t And he said. Swear vnto me hy God, that thou wilt neither kilt me, nor deliver me into the hande of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

16 TT And when he had brousht him down, behold, they were spread abroad tipon ail the earth, i eatinr, and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they bad taken out of the land of the PhUiBtines, and out of the land of Judali.

17 And David emote them fVom the twiught even unto the evening of * the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred youngmen, which rode uponcamela, and fled.

18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.

19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither eons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them; i David recovered all.

20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, wkidi they drave before those other cattle, and said. This is Davkl's spoil.

31 Ana David came to the °' two hundred men, which were bo faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the peoi^e Uiat were with him: and when David came near to the people, he " saluted them.

82 If Then answered all the wicked men, and men " of Belial, of p those that went with David, and said. Because they went not with us, we

met and others maiatain that the ^n'u cerethi, which, vithout thflp°ints, be rend Creti, were not only at diia time rhUittinea^ml that they were aJjorieineB of Cr^e, from which they had their name CertUiitet, or CrttanM; and are the same of whom Zephaxitah apeaki, chap. it. 6. Wo to the iTihabitarUa me seaeoaats, Ike nation <tf the CherethUes. And by EzeJeid, chap. xxv. 16. Behotd, I will ttretek out mine hand upon toe Phi- Haiinet, and wUl cut off the Gierethivi, In 2 Sam. xv. le. we find ihax the Oia^kUee formed a part of David's guartU.

South of Caleb] Sonevbere about Kirfath-arba, or Hrfiron. wd EXrjath-tepker i tfiese being in the poneraton of CaJeo and his descendants.

Vem 16. Swear unto me\ At the conclusion of this Torse, lh« Vulgate, SyrUtc, ioi Arable, add, that David twore to Aim. Tim la not ezprccKd in the flefrrew, but ia Beeenarily implied.

TenalS. OuttfAtbmdqfOtePkUiMtintilVheJitheBe AmaldeUes were enenues to the Philiatinea is evident; but it certainly does not follow from this that thote whom David destroyed were enemies bIbo. This, I think, has been too butily anumed by Dr. Chandler, and others, in order to viDdioat& the better, the character of David.

Tern 17. lyiere eacapednot a num (if th«m] It is well known to every careful reader of the Bible, that the Anto- Ukitea were a proscribed people, even by God himself; and that, in extirpating them, it has been mimosed David ftiifilled the express will of Ood. But ml this depend* on whether he had an erpreas commistiMk to do received Crom God himself^ as Saul had.

TerM 20. And Datid took all thejiocksi He and his men not only recovered all their own pro^rty, but they recovered all the spoil which these Amalekites had taken from the south of Judah, the Cherethitm^ and the south of CaM>. When this was separated from the rest, it was given to David, and called Davi/tt spoil.

Verae23. TVuUiAiAthehoaBhathfrivenusl Hevery properly attributes this victory to Ood; uie numbers of the Amalelntes being so much sreater than his own. Indeed, as many fled away on camels as were in the whole host of

Verse 26. He made U a ttatule and an ordinance for braett NotlUng could be more just and proper than this law t he who alaya at home to defend house and property, has an equal right (o llie booty token by those who go out

will not give them aught of the spml that we have recovered, save to every man hia wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and

23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so^ my brethren, with that whKh the Lord bath given UB, who hath preserved us, and deliverra the company that came against tia into our hand.

24 For who will hearken unto yon in this matter? hut 1 as his part w that goeth down to the battle, BO ahall his part be wat tarrieth by the stutf: they shall part alike.

25 And it was so from that day ' forwwd. that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day,

26 1[ And when David came to Zildag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying. Behold a ' ^esent for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord;

27 To them which were in Beth-el, and to them which -were in < south Ramoth, aad to tAem which were in " Jattir,

28 And to them which were in * Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them wfaiiA were in * Eshtemoa.

29 And to them, which were in Rachal, and to them which irere in the cities of ' the Jerahmeeiites, and to them which were in the raties of the ' Kenites,

30 And to them which were in ■ Homtali, and to them which irere in Chorashan, and to then which were in Athacfa,

31 And to them which were in ' Hebron, and to all the places wfa^re David himself ana his men were wont to haunt

to the war. There was a practice of this kind among tba Israelites long before this time; see Numb. xxxL 27. and Josh. xxii. 6. and the note on this latter verse.

Unto tkia day] This is another indieatiOB (bat this beet was composed long after the fiwts it commemoiaies. See hypothesis in the pr^ace.

Verse 26. Unto the eJdert (f ^^idah\ TTiesc were the persons among whom he aqjoumed during hia ezite: and who had given him shelter and pntteetioD. Gmtitaaa nquired these pretenta.

SouOtRamoOi] So called to diitinguidi it from AbsuOgilead, beyond Jordan. This RttmUa belonged to the tribe of Siineon, Josh. xix. 8.

In Jattir] Supposed by Calmet to be the nme as BSutt Josh. XV. 42; but more probably Jattir, nr. 48. It «w situated in the moimtains^ and belonged to Jttdah.

Verse 28. hi Aroer] Situated b^ood Jordan, «n As banks of the river Anion, in the tribe of Gad.

Sipkmolh] Supposed to be the same with Skaham, Numb. xxziv.lO. on the eastern border of the promised land.

Ethtemoa] Another city in the tribe of Judah. See Josh. XV. 60.

Verse 29. Them lehiA were in Radtal] We know not where this place was; it is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. Calmet conjectures that Hachilah (chap. xxiiL 19.) may be the same place: here we know David did conceal himself for some time, till the Ziphites endbavouied to betrayhim to Saul.

Verse 30. Hormah] The general name of those eitiM whidibelongedto Arod kingof Caaaant and were devobed to destrction by tlie Hebrews: and tbeAoe called Bormah. See Numb. xjd. 1 — 3.

Ih Chor-aAan] ProbaUy the nnw as AsAok in the tribe of.AtdoA. See Jorii.xT.42. It was Bfterwnd ceded to Simeon, Josh. xix. 7.

7^ them uAicA were in AOoeft] Probably ihe same ss EOitr, Josh. xix. 7.

Verse 31. To (hem uAtefc were in HAron] lUs was a place strongly attached to Davii^ and David to it; and tfae place wherenswasproelaimed king; and where he reimd more than seven years, previously to the death of Isbfa^ sheth, Saul's son, who was, ibr that time, his competitor is the kingdom.

WiUme wm man! ikc diln, ajta ihamnf Aeir umoar, which tbn puila feoM irf AilurgA, eui aS baaik. t«d iIb iMwi u iJl tlM h(H« of dieii)dc>h wd bUn Ox tnAtm sTaul ud Ua ttm «■ u Ih* «tla oT BBib^ati,9— 10. TatoniBMiif Jibi^ tfml |o bynltfu. and lalMft—T On bodlw; bomikMU Tiliaili. bofj tborboiiaaadtratiai) and fiui lan 11— 13.

TVTOW •■thePhiliBtinesfoughtagaioat, 4g«*"g- J-X Iwaet; and tbe men orlfirael Red i.o<ffi»« before ih» PhiUatines, and fell down *slfUn in mount ' Oilboa.

2 And the Philistinee followed hard upon Saul and npon hfe smu; and the PbiliBtines alaw ■ Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchidiua, Sanl'a sons.

3 And ' Uie battle went sore againat Said, and the * archers ^ bit him; and be was sore

4 1 Then said Saul unto his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, Lest ^ these uncircumciaed come and tbraat me through, a,nd > abtue me. But bis armourbearer would not; " for he was aore a&aid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and " fell upon it.

5 And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise Qpon his swcf^d, and died with him.

6 So Saul died, and his three somt, and his

David's having sent prcMenti to all these placM, not on); liiows hia Mnae of gnuUude, but that the Moty •vtioh he took from ihe Anialeidtei mmt hav^ been exoeeding)^ greaL And we leant from this also, that David ■ojoumeo in many

E laces irhich are not roentioned in to mtxaiiag history; nr Aft are all said to be plaMa when Daoid imdhi$ nun were vont to haunt.

We are not to suppose that- the tnnsaatioBs mentitmed here, snd in the preceding chapter, look place after Saul's interview with the woman of JSttrdor i they were oondderaUy antecedent to this, but how kmg we do not know. What is recorded in Ihe foUowiiiffcba£ter must ha place tbe next day after Saul left En-dor.

Terse 1. Now the PkiliatinafmtgM] This is Ihe contiDualion of Ihe account iriveD in ch. xzviii.

"ntmenqf Israel JUal It seems as if they were thrown into eonfiiBioo at the first onset, and turned ttieir backs upon tbeir enemies.

Terse 2. F\)Oowedkardupon Said and upon hU aoiu\ ^My, seeing ttie discomfiture of their troops, were determined to tal their lives as dear as possible; and, therefore, maintained tbe battle till the three brothers were slain.

Terse 3. He waa tore wounded qf the aTchen.'\ It is likely that Saul's sons were slain by the archers; and dwt Saul was now mortally wounded by the same. Hou- Unat translatws, Tibe ordien nuiua lam. him,fr&in igkom h« receivm a gritwiu wound. He mrtber remarks that, had not Saul been grievously wounded, end b^ond hope of recovery, he would not have wished his arroourbeerer to despatch him: as be might have continued still to light, or have mode his eacape from this most disastrous battle. Some of the versions render it, He raABED the arehsra greatly; but this is by no means likely.

Terse 4. Draw thy award, and thruatvuttavuefii Dr. Debutey hOs some good observadoos on this part of the sni^eet; " Saul ana his armour-bearer died by the same •word, "niat his armour-bearer died by his own sword is out of all doubt, the text expressly tells us so; and that Saul perislud bj the same sword is sufficiently evident Draw Ihy awora, says he to him, and throat me throagh; whidL when he refused, SaxiL says the tezL took thk award a*inn nuaihha diereb, (At very tword,) and ftll vpmiL Whatswordl Not his own, (or dien the text wouM have said so; but, in the plain, natural, grammatical construction, the award before mentioned must be the ■wOTd now nnrred to, that is^ his armour-bearer's, I Chron. x. 4, 6. Now, it is the established tradition of all the Jewidi nation, that this annour-bearer was Doeg; and I see no reason why it should be discredited: and, if to, then Saul and his axeeotioner both fell by that weapon with iriiieh they had before nwaHcred toe priests of Ood. So Brutu* and Caaaiua killed themselves with the swords widi vdiieh they atidibed Cosor; and Co-

7 K And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of tbe valley, and tliev that ttere on the other aide Jordan, saw that the men of Israel iled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they faraook die cities, and fled} and the Pfailiatines came and dwelt in them.

8 1[ Aod it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the elaio, that they found Saul and his three sons fidlen in mount Gilboa.

9 And th^ cut off his head, and stripped off hia lumour, and sent into the land of the rhiliBtioies round about, to "publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

10 F And they put his armour m the hoose of 4 Ashtaroth; and ■'they fastened his body to the wall of * Betb-shau.

11 * And when the inhabitants of Jahesh-

IS * All the Talbmt men arose, and went all ni^ht, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies or his sons, from the wall of Beth-eban, and came to Jabesh, and * burnt them there.

13 And they took their bones, and 'buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and ' fksted seven

Terse 6. And ait hia men] Profaablv meaning those of hiatracKM which were Umtifeat bo^ guarda: as to Ihe bulk of the am^', U fled at the commencismant fit the battle, vec. 1.

Tkvo 7. 7^ 0Mn_«/' laratl that were on the other oide Qia i>aU»] lioey appear to have been panicstruck, end therefm fled as far as they could out of the reach of the Philistinea. As' the Philistines possessed Sethr-^n, situated near to Jordan^ the pewle on the ol&ei- aids of that river, (earing for iheir sai^, fled also.

Terse %. On ihe moTTOwT It ia vtty likely that the battle and pursuit eooUnuea till the ni^^ ao that there was no tima till die next day to alrqi and plunder the slain.

Terse 9. Andthey atiojf hia head] It is possible that they cut off the heads of his three sons likewise: tor, although only hia head is said to be cut off, and hia oadu only to be rastened to ^ walls of Beth-shan, yet we find that the men of Jabei^-gilead found both hia body, and the bodies of hia three aona, fastened to the walls, ver. 12.

Perhaps thev only took off Saul's head, which they sent about to their temples, as a trophy of their victory when they sent the news of the denai of the loaeUtea through all their coasts; and at last placed it ia Aa temple ofDagonjl Chron. x. 20.

Terse 10. nmput Ma armour in the house vf Aahtor roth] As David nad done, in plaeing the sword of GoUath in the tabernacle. We have already seen, that it was common for the conquerors lo consecrate armour and ^ils, taken in war, to those who were the (dijectB of religious worship.

Theyfaateiied hia body to &it wall] Probably fay means of iron hooks: but it is said, (2 Sam. zzi. 12.) that thwa bodies tMr«/atleMd in tJu stbbbt tif Beth-Aan. lUa may mean, that the place where they were fiutened to the wall, was the main street or entrance into the city.

Terse II. When ihe inhabiianU qf Jabeak-gilead heard] This act of the men of Jabesh-gilead was an act of gratitude due to Saul, who at the very commencement of his reign, rvsooed them from Nahash, king of the Ammonites; (see ch. xi. 1, Ac) and, by his timely succour^ he saved them Irom the deepest degradadoiL and the most oppressive tyranny. lUs heroio ao, with the seven days^ f<ut, riiowed that they retained a due sense of cbear obligation to this unfortunate monarch.

Terse 12. And bmni them there'\ It has been denied that the Hebrews burnt the bodies of the dead; but that they buried dMm in the earth, or emhalmed (hem i and often burnt spices around themt Ac l^es^ no doub^ were the eommon forms of sepulture; but naitber of these could be eonveniently practised in the present ease. Tbfgf oould not have buried them about Beth-ihan, widwut faenig discorcnd i and aa io^t^almiitg, that waa moat likely out of all queitkm; ml doubtleu, the bodies were now too putrid to bear it They, therefore, burnt them, beeauM there wu no other way of dispodng of them at that time, w oi to do them honour: and the borw and wA«t Hm eoViUMi, and buried under a tree, or in a grot eat JabeMh.

Verw 13. And fasted eeten dm/t] To testify llii^ sincere remt for his unfortunate death; and the public calami^ mat hod fallen upon the land.

Trus ends the troublesome, and I had almost said, the owleH reign of Saul. A king was chosen in opposition to the will of the Host Hi^h i and the government of God, in eflbet, rejected, to nuuce way for this king.

Saul vas, at first, a very humble young man, and conducted himself with great propriety; but his elevation made him proud, ana he soon became tyrannical in his private conduct, and in his political measures. His natulal temper was not good: he was peevish, &etfli], and ottm oatrageous; ana these bod disposibon^ undiMlad by proper i^>p|jcation to the grace ot Obd, became every day more headstrong and dangefoua. Thntwh (bur violence, he seems at times to have beoi wholly carried away, and deranged; and this derangement appears to have been occasionally greatly exacerbated by diabolical inlhienee. lliis led him to lake his friends for his foes, so ibu, in bit panutysms, he strove to imbrue his hand in their blood { end more than once to attempt to assassinate his own son 1 and most causelessly and inhumanly ndered the innocent priests of the Lord at Nob to be mardoed. This was the worst act in his whole life.

Saul was but ill qualified for a proper discharge of the regal functions. Unt reader will remember that he was dwsen laibN' as gtnertU of the ormMs, than as eivU govtmor. Tlw adminiatiation of the afihirs itf thestefewas left dtiefly to Samuel; and Sanl led fbrth the amiies to batUe.

As a general, he gave proof of considerable et^ncity; he was couragsou^ prompt, decisive, and persevering; and, exeept in me lut unmtonate battle, in irfuch be lost bis life, generally led his troops to victory.

SaiilwasawealEnMtii,andvayc«priotous: this is amply provvd by his unreaaonsUe jealousy against David, ■DO bis omtiuial ras|noion that all wen KBgoed against I him. It is also evident, in hia foolish adiiuation relative to the matter of the honey, (see chsp. ziv.) in which, to save his rash and nonsensical oath» be would have saaificed Jonathan his son!

ITie question, " Was Saul a good king?" has aliea^, in effi>ct, been answered. He was, on & whole, a goon man, as far as we know, in private life; but he was a bad king I for he endeavoured to reign indepondenUy of the Jewish constitution: he, in effect, assumed the sacerdotal office and functions, and thus even changed wbat was essential to that constitution. He not only offend snerifiees v^iich belonged to the priests alone; but, in the most positive manner, went qipoiila to the oroera of ibat God whose vicegerent be was.

Of his conduct, in visiting the woman at En-dor, I have already given my opinion; and to this I roust refer. His desperate circumstances imposed on the weakness of his mind 1 and he did, in that instance, an act which, in his jurisprudential capacity, he had disapproved hy the edict which banished all wilcbes^ Ac. from Israel. Yet, in this ae^ he only widied to avail himself ot the cousael nd advice of ^/riend SamueL

To the question, " Was not Saul a eetf-murderer 7" I scruple not to answer. " No." He was, to all appearaiwt^ mortally wounded, wnen he beg^ his armour-Wrer to extinguish tlie remaining sparit of life; and he was afraid that the Philistines mipit abuee his body, if they found him alive; and we can scarcely aay how much Mtniignitjf is implied in this word; - and his felling on his sword was a fit of desperation, which, doubtless, was the issue of a mind greatly agitated, and full of distraetioa. A few minutes tooge^ and nis life would, in all probabihty, have ebbed out: but, ihon^tbis voand aooewrated his dead^ yet it could not be properly the oHose of as he was BorlallT wounded befiae: and did it OD the ooavieiioo dmt be could not survive.

Taking Saul's state and circumstances together, I beheve there is not a conmer'a inqueai in this nation that would nor have brouf^t in a verdict of derangewumi t while the pious and the humane would eveir wlun hnp consoled themselvea with the bopc^ that Godliad enaodBd mercy U his soul Jim>rook, ^ lit m

As dna u a continuatiaa of the preeedinff histoij', without any iDtemiptioo, it can be aeareely called another hook. Originally, thii and tha preoodins made but one book; ana the/ hava been aqwiated mmout reaeOD or Deoeaiity. For a groenJ aoeount of both, eee the Prtfaea to Ibe FKrti Book at SaDiuel.

It ifl senerally allowed dtat tbie book comprehenda a period of forty yean, from about A. U. 2949 U 2989. See the pmfixed chronological account.

It baa been divided into tkne porta: in the JtnL we hare an account of the bappy commencement of David'a reieoi diap. i— X. In die tecond, David'a unhappy fiill, and ita miserable consequences, chap, zi — xvili. In the Aird, his peMoiUkn to the divine bvour, the re-eatabli^ioient of hia kingdom, and the eveoU which signalized the laUer pan of bw nigi^ diap. xiz— Jtziv.

Ad AB*l<klLtooiinatiiDirid,uidli]fima hhn iha iha FhllkiJ« iMd nnlnl tba IbmUw: and thatSaolud MtKuwtndaln.l'-t An] pnumk thai b* Mb- ■If had davMcM Bui, Mini M« Mil* u> Ul Klin inlo tta tMnhof iIk Fhlto-

RciS AfOWit came to pass, after the im. iM. xy death of SaQl, when David wae returned from ' the slaughter of the L otfuy. CT. Amalekites, and David had. abode two dejs in Zikla^ j

2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, ^ a man came out of the camp fi-om SadI, * with nia clothes rent, and earth upon bia heaA: and so it was, when he came to Darid, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou 7 And he said unto him, Out of the eamp of Israel am I escaped.

4 And David said unto him, ' How went the matter 7 I pray thee, tell me. And he answered. That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

5 And David said unto the youn^ man that told him. How knoweat thou that Saul and Jonathan his eon be dead?

6 And the young man that told him, said. As I happened by chance upon ■ mount Gilboa, behold, 'Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and dUled unto me; and I cuutwered, < Here am I.

8 And he said unto me. Who etrt diou 7 And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

9 He said unto me again. Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and elay me: for anffuish is come upon me, because my life t> yet whole in me.

Terw 2. A man came oui the campj The whole ao count vhich thia young man givea isafiibncation: in many of the paniculwa it li groMlv teif-eontradictory. There ii DO /act in the c*«e out ine brining of the crown or diadem, and braedtit of Saul { which, aa he appears to have been a plunderer of the ilain, he found on the field of bsUle: and he brought them to David, and told the lie of having deapatched iSaut, merely to ingratiate himself with DavkL

Tene 8, / am an Amaltkiie.} Dr. Deloney remarkiu an AmaldEite look (bat crown from off the head of Saul, wfaidt be had brfbiled by bis dieobedienoe io the oaw of Amalek.

Terw 10. Thtermm — and brocebf] Tliearownwaa protably no more than a royal.fUI«^ or lUatUm, both being the enngnt of royalty. It ii tometimea cuatomary, in the Eaat, for a lovereirn prince to give a crovn and braeeleh, when inveating othera with oominion or aulhori^ over certain provinoes. Had Saul these in token of bis being Ooi'wneegermt? and that he hekl die kingdom from bim alonel

I was sure that he could not live after that be was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that umm on his ana,

and have brought them hither unto my lord.

11 IT Then David took hold-on his clothes, and ^ rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even for Saul, and fbr Jonathan bis am, and for the people of the Lobo^ and for the hotue of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

13 ^ And David said tmto the yoimg man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, 1 am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

14 And David said unto him, > How wart thov not "■afraid to "stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?.

15 And <* David called one of the youw men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And be smote him that he died.

16 And David said unto him, p Thv blood be upon thy head; for thy month hatn testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lobd's anointed.

17 f And David lamented with this lammta^ tion over Saul, and over Jonathan his son:

18 (■ Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use qf the bow: behold, it i* writtea t in the book ■ of Jasher:)

19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: ' bow are the mighty fallen!

20 " Tell it not in Gath, publish t< not in the streets of Askelon; lest 'the daughters of 'the Philistines rejoice, leat the daughters of the oncircumcised triumph.

21 Ye * moantams of Gflboa, *let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of onerings: for there the shield of the mtgh^ is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul as ttmtg* he haaaot been » anointed with oil.

Terse 16. 77iv blood be upon thy ktadi If he killed Saul, as he saia he did, then he deserved death: ai thai time it was not known to the contrary; and this man was executed on his own confession.

Terse 17. David lammiedl See this lamenUUioii, sad the notes on it at the end of this ch^>ler.

Terse 18. iTie use of ffce bote] TRs use is not in dis Hebrew; it is simply the bov>, that ii^ a song thus miitkdL See obaervationB at the end.

Terse 21. As ihoneh he had not been] Inatasd tt ^3 belL KOT, I read "fjs ketey, TNeramcxNTfl.

Tbe word kaaheth ia to be understood of the title of the Bong vhith immediately fbUows, and aot of tfte use of bow, as our translation intimates.

Many of David's psalms have tides prefixed to tfaea: some are termed Slwminim, some Jnaeekil, AiAiiott, I*!eginoth, dke. and this one here KatheA, or Th€ Bm^ becauseitwasoeeasioDedby thePhilistineardwn. 1 ~ xzxi. 1—3. "Andlbearchenhithim."

■ 83 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, ' the bow of Jonathan turned not baek, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan icere lovely and •* pleaaant in their Uves, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were • stronger than lions.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saui, who clothed you in scarlet, with omer delights; who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle I O JonathEui, Mou wa«t elain in thine high places.

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou ijeen unto me: ' thy lOve to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. „..

27 * How are the mighty fallen, and the wear pons of war perished.

AND it came to pass after this, that*"^"* David • inquired of the Loan, say- ■teirtL in^. Shall I go up into any of the cities - of Judah? and the Loan said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go upl And lut said. Unto Hebron.

2 So David went up thither, and his ' two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's w^e, the Carmelite.

3 And ^ Ilia men that were with him did David bring up, every man with hia household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

But etpeeially respecting the hov» of Jonathan, " which returned not back Croin the blood of the ilBin," as the aong itself expreaaee. And David ooold not but remember the fcnv.of Jonathan, out of which " the arrow was ahot bejood the lad," 1 Sam. xz. 36. It was the time when that covenant was made, and that afTection expressed between them, " which was greater than the love of women."

On these accounts the song was entitled jBTosAefA; or, TKt tong of the Boa; and David commaoded the chief muutiana, Ethan, Heman, and Jedulhun, to teach the ohildren m Judoh how to sing it.

" It is written in the boolt of Jaiha," m 0i0\ioii m nAavt, Sept. " In die Book of the uprMiL"

The Arabic says, " Behold it is writieD in the Book of Aijieet diis is the Book of Samuel;" the interpretadon of which i% " book of songs, or canticles."

lliis lamentuion is jusUy admired as a picture of distress, the most tender and the most etrikine;; imequally divided by gritt into longer and shorter breaks, as nature could pour uiem forth from a mind iolerrupled bv the attemate recurrence of the most lively images of love and greaintts.

His revereace for Saul, and his love fbr Jonathan, have Aeir strongest coloaringa I but their ^eo^nus and frraeery eotne full upon him, and are expressed with peculiar ener^.

Being himself a imrrtor, it is in that character he sees dieir greatest excellence; and, thou^ his imagination hurries from one point of recollection to another, yet we hear him at first, at last, every where, lamenting — Htm ar» ffumigkiy/aHenl

It is almost impossible to raad the noble original wilbont finding every word m^en with a vigh, or broken with a sob. A heart pregnant with distress, and striving to utter expressions descriptive of its Gselings, (whicli are repeatedly interrupted by an excess of ^ie^) >e most sen- •swly painted tbrouRhout the whole. Even an Engiiak fMOsr msw be convinced of tl^l^ from the following specinei^ in European characters.: —

The three last verses in this sublime lamentation have «siue and aound so connected as to strike every reader.

Dr. KtntiieotL from whom I have taken several of the {weeedim remacks, givss a fine Latin versioo of this song, which I nere subjirin:

HloMOiOiouil, ■qH •« Nec m, BBS pluTiik aniut (cri pttaUuvBI Jill calm ■b)teuu toil ciTpm fbnliUD, ClTiiaiaau1U.*niuliiuactl atool

TnM ml, Jonaliian I Mihi fuiui ulraahim laewite HiU mill uDor ^Dgdoa HkiUk, Hnliaam tiapnna amaMl

In ver. 21. 1 have inserted -hs keUy, for -hi belt. Dr. Delanejf rightly observes that the particle beli, is not used in any part of the Bible in the sense of qua*i non, as though not i in which sense it must be used her^if it be retained as a genuine reading; the shield of Saul as though U had not been anointed with oil.

In a MS. written about the «ear 1200, numbered 30 in Kmnimtfit Bibtet "hs ftdey is found; and also in the ilrti edUion of Ike leAoZe Hebrew Bible printed SonehU 1488. Neither the Syriac nor Arabic versions, nor the Chaldee paraphrase, acknowledge the negative particle >^3 beU, which they would have done had it been in the copies from which they translated. It was easy to make the mistake, as there is such a similarity between a beth and 3 caphi the line, therefore, should be read thus — The riiield of Saul, weapons anom ted with oil.

In ver. 22. nn noshog, to obtain, attain, seems to have been written for r\Di nasog, to recede, return. ITie former destroys the senitc; the latter, which our translation has followed, and which is supported by the authority of 30 MSS. makes it not only intelligible but bcautifiil.

In verses 19, 22, and 25, V?n and e^n chatal and chal- Hm occur, which we tiaaslata the slaiit, but which Dr. Kennieoti, I think, fiom good authority, renders ooldiar, and toldiert; and thus the version b nude more oonsisteni and be&iiiiful.

'fyn duUal, signifies to bore, or jneree through; and this epithet might be well given to a soldier — q. d. tha piaacER, because his business is to tranBfix, or puree bis enemies with sword, spear, and arrows.

If it be translated toldierM, in the several places of the Old Testament, where we translate it slain, or wocjnixD, the sense will be much mended; See Judges xx. 31, 39. Psa. Ixxxix. 10. Prov.vii.26. Jer. li. 4, 47, 49l Esek. xi. 6, 7. xxi. 14. In several others it retains its radiMl signification of piercing, munding, Ac

ArTER these ^neral observations, I leave the partioulkr beauties of this inimitable song to be sought out by the intelligent reader. Much has bran written upon this, whidi cannot, eonsistendy with the plan of these notes, be sdmitted here. See Delanetf, KennicotL Vmeth, du.; sod above all let the reader examine the Hebrev text. NOTES ON CHAPTER n. Verse I. David inquired of tte Loan] By means of Abiathar, the prtest; for he did not know whether the different tribes were willins to receive him, diou^ he was; fully persuaded that God had i^pointed him lung over I Israel.

4 * And the men of Judah came; and there they anointed David king over the hoaae of Judah. And they told David, saying, 7)la/ ^ the men of Jabesh-giiead were they that buried Saul.

5 T[ And David sent messengero unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, ' Blessed be ye of tiie Lobd, that ye have showed' this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

G And now ^the Lord show kindness and truth nnto you: and I also will reguite you this bdndness, because ye have done this thing.

7 Therefore now let your hands be atrei^hened, and ' be ye valiant: for your master Saul ie dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me King over them.

8 ir But * Abner the son of Ner, captain of > Saul's host, took Ish-bosheih the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all

10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over IsraeL and reigned two years. But the house of Judah fol^wed David.

11 And "the «time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years ami six months.

one of the richest regioiu in Judeo. The mouDtairis of Hebron were famed for fhiits, herbage, and honey; and many parts were well adapted for vines, olives, and different kinda of grain, and abounding in springs of excellent water, aa llie most accurate travellers have aaserted.

Verse 4. Anointed David king] He was anointed before by Samuel, by which ho acquired Jua ad regnttm, a right TO the kiagdom: by the present anointiiie he had JUS in rei^o. authority over the kingdom. The other parts of the kmgdom were, as yet, attached to the family of Saul.

Verec 5. David sent messengeraunlo—^JabeBh-srilead] This was a generous and noble act, highly indicative of the grandeur of David's mind. He respected Saul as his once legitimate sovereign; he loved Jonathan aa his most ittlimate friend. The former had greatly injured htm, and ■ought his destruciion; but even thia aid not cancel his TCspect for him aa the anointed of Ood, and as the king of Israel. This brings to my remembrance that fine speech of M. Saurin, when speaking of the baniehment of the Proicstanta from France, by ihe revocation of ibe edict of Nantes. He thus at the Hague apostrophizes Lewis XIV. iheir persecutor: Et ioi, prince redoutabU, qutf honored jadia eomme mon rai, et que je retpecte encore amune le ficau du Seigneur. " And thou, O formidable prince, whom I once honoured as my king, and whom I atill reverence as the scourge of the Lord! '

Verse 7. Nov let your handa be gtrenjf&ened] David eertaiuly wislied to attach the men of Jabeah to his in-' lereat: ne saw that they were generous and valiaati and must be of great service to him whose port Ihey eapoused; and he was, no doubt, afraid that they would attach themselves to the house of Saul, in conaideraiixn of the eminent serviced Saul hod rendered them, in rescuing them fi-om Nahasli, king of the Ammonites.

Verse 8. Abiur the eon of Ner] This man had long tteen one of the chief captaii'ta of Saul's army, and commander-in-chief on several occasiom: he was probably envious of David's power, by whom be had often been outgeneralled in the field.

Verse 9. Made Aim king over GtUad] TTiese were places beyond Jordan ( for, aa the Philistines had lately routed the laraelitea, they were, no doubt, in possession of some of the principal lowvst and were now enjoyinj; the fruits of their victory. Abnsr was, therefore, u'nud to bring the new king lo any place where he was likely to meet with much resistaooc^ till he had got bis army well recruited.

Wlio the Ashurites were, is not generally agreed; probably men of Ihe trilie of Aehur, Verse 10. Jth-boeheih— reigned too y«ora] It is well

13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met ' together by * the pool of GibeonT and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the voune men now ariae, and play hetan us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

15 Then there arose, and went over by number, twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve ot the servants of David.

16 And they canght every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; BO they fell down together: wherefore that place was called t Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

17 And there was a very sore battle that day i and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

18 If And there were ° three sons of Zemiali there, Joab, and Abishai,and Jfaeahel: and Asfthel was ' aa light * of foot ' aa a wild roe.

19 And Asaliel pursued after Abneri and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to tbe left » from following Abner.

20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said. Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am,

21- And Atuier said to hini. Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hoU

observed, that Ish-bosheth reigned ail the time that Dasid reigned in ffehrmt whieh was MC«a years amd s£c months. Perhaps (he meaning of the writer is tbis: Iih- hoaheih reigned two years before any but the tribe of Judah had attached ihemaelvee lo the interest of David. Some think, that Abner in effect reigned the five last years of lah-bosheth, who had only the name of king after the two first years. Or, ihe text may be understood tbua: Whm Ish-ooaketh had reigned two years orer iira«^ he ws forty wears qf age.

Bowiigajil, dissatisfied with all the common modes of solution, proposes to read rav rv*wv aheakith ahanah, six years; for the a^ia otiv shetim shonim, two year*, of lbs test, which, be contends, ieaM^Mm; for, in pure Hebrew, the words would be rast ovv, as they are every where read in the first book: and niv is the reading <a eleno of Kennicott'sMSS. and nine of De Rossi's; mitibenuatber tteo is acknowledged by all the ancient versions, and by all the MSS. yel collated. The critical reader mj examine Houbif^t on the place. After all, prohaUy lae expedition mentioited in the succeeding verses, is wl to which the writer refers^ and from which he daitM. Ubr boaheih had reigned two years without any niMnre with David, or his men, till under the direction of Atner, captain of his host, the Israelites passed over Jordan, bxm Mahanaim to Gibeon; and being opposed by Joab, captain of David's host, that battle took place which is desmbcd in the following verses.

Verse 14. Let the young men — j>Iay before w.] ^Itia was diabolical play, where each man thniat his svtm into the body of the other, so that the iwentv-four (twelve CA each side) fell down dead together! but this was the signal for that sanguinary skirmish which immediately took pnee.

Verse 16. Caught every one hia Jetlow tiy the ktadl Probably by the beard, if tnese persons were not too young to have one; or by the hair of the head. Alexander ordered all the Macedonians to shave their beordfi andbeingaAed by Parmenio, why they should do sot answerei^ **Dast thou not know, that in baule Ibece » no better hnd An the benrd 1"

HelkaJh-haxzurim] " The portion of the miRhty f or, " The inheritonee of those who were slain," aeearttag to

Verse 18. Aaahet was as light qffoel as a wiU ns.\ To be awift of foot, was deemed a great aecomptiritnMBt in the heroes of antiquity: Toias taxtt AxiAXnt, Ihe n^/Vfooted Achillea, is an epithet which Homer ^ves to OMt hero no less than thir^ times in the course of nie Uias. It was a qualification also among the Roman soUicn: tb^ were taught both to run a»\ftly and to taim smU.

on one of the joudx men, and take thee bia * armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from ff^lowinff him.

23 Ar^ Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside irom following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold u^) my face to Joab thy brother?

23 Ilowoeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner. with the hinder end of his apear, smote him ^ under the fifth n'b, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass,' that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

24 Joab also and Abishai pursued ailer Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieih before Giah, by the way of the wilderness of Qibeon.

25 IT And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together af\er Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top-of a hill.

86 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for evert knowest thou not that it will he bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethreQ?

27 And Joab said, Ag God liveth, unless * thou badst spoken, surely then ' in the murning the people had * gone up every one from following his brother.

28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and alt the people ■tood still, and pursued after Israd no more, neither fought they any more.

39 And Abner and his men walked all that nit^t through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

30 ir AndJoab returned fromfoUowingAhuer: and when he had gathered all the people togetlwr, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.

31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men. so that three hundred and threescore men died.

33 ir And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth'lehera. And Joab and his men went aii night, and they came to Hebron at break of day. CTI Al'TKR III.

and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

wished to get the armour of Abner u a trophy; thia also was gnaln coveted aocient heroes. Abner wished to ■pare tiim, for fear of exciting Joab's enmity; buU as Aaahel wai obstinate in the pursuit, and waa awifter of foot than Abner, tfie Intier saw that he must either kill or be killed } and therefore he iumedAw «p«r, and ran it through the body of Asahel. "Htia tumini aboui, that he might pierce him, is what we tranatate the hinder end of his sMar. This slaying of Asahel.cM Abner hti life i oa we shall find in the next ^apter.

Yem 27. And Jimh soU] The meaning of this verM sppesrs to be this: If Abner had not provuked the battle, (see Ter. 14.) Joab would not have attacked the Istaelitea that day: aa his orders were probably to act on the defeniiw. TTierefore the blame fell upon larae).

Verse 29. TTiey came to MaJtanaim.'] So diey returned to the place wh«nce they set out See ver. 13. Thia was the commencement of the etvil wars between Israel and Judeh: and properly the eonuunesment ef the diviaioa of the two kingdom! | throofl^ which twth nations were daltwed widi b^ed.

2 If And 'unto David were sons born ■ in Hebron: and his first-born was Anmon, ^ol' Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

3 And his second, ' Cbileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, David'i wife. These were born to David m Hebron.

6 IT And it came to pass, white there was war between the bouse of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Said.

7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was " Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Iah^)oshtth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?

8 Then was Aimer very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I ° a dog's head, which against Judah do show kindness this day unto the bouse of Saul thy father, to his hrethren^ and to his friends, and have not delivered thee mto the hand of David, that thou cbargest me to-day with a fault concerning this woman?

9 i> So do God to Abner, and more also, except, 4 as the Loan hath sworn to David, even BO I do to him j

10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel, andoverJodaa, 'from Dan even to Beeraheba.

11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because h« feared him.

12 % And Abner sent messengers to US' David on his behalf, saying. Whose AaE^i«> it the land? saying, alio. Make thy awwmw league with dm, and, behold, my haiu ^*»i^vt ahaU be with thee, to bruig about all Israel unto

13 T[ And be said. Well; I will make a league with thee: hut one thing I require of thee, ■ toat is, > Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring " Michal, Saul's cUiughter, when thoa comest to see my race.

14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me * lor a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from "Phaltiel the son of Laish.

16 And her husband went with her ■ along weeping hehitid her to ^Bahurim. Then said Ahner unto him, Gro, return. And he returned.

17 1 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, sayiitg, Ye sought for David ■ in timesnast to be king over you:

Verse 1. There vaa long war} Frequent battles aodskinnishei look place between the followera of David and the followers of Ui-bosheth, after the two years atentiooed above, to the end (rf die fifth year, in wbiob Ish-bosheth was slain by Rechab and Baanah.

Verse 6. Abner made Aimseff ftnmg] Thia strengthening trf himself^ and going in to the late king's concubine, were moat evident proofs that he wished to seise upon the goTernment. See 1 Kings ii. 21, 22. xii. B. zvi. 21.

VeT«> 8. Am Jo dog'e A««0 Doat ihoo treat a man with indignity who baa been the only prop of ihytoUwriiig Vinedom, and the only person who cwiU make bead against the house of David 1

Verae 9. ExctrpI, at the Lord hath evam to David] And ^vhy did he aot do ihb before, when be knew that Ood had givan the kingdom to Davidl Was ha not now, aoeorthw to bis own ooneeMion, fightiBg agalast Godt

David 1 will save my people Israel out of the band of the Philistioes, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

19 And Abner also spake in the ears of ^ Benjamio: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all ttiat seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner, and the men that vtre with him, a feast.

21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and < will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, ana that thou mayest ^ reigii over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away: and he went in peace.

22 t And. behold. Uie ecrvants of David and Joab catoe from ptersuing a troop, and brought

' in'a great spoil with them: bat Abner va« not with David in Hebron j for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

33 When Joab and all the host that wo* with him were come, they told Joab, saying-, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath ■ent him away, and he is gone in j>eace..24 Then Joab came to the kmg, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner CEune unto thee; why is it thai thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

25 Thou knowest Abner the stm of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know *thy going out and thy coming m, and to know all that thou doeat.

26 And when Joab was come out from David, be sent messengers after Abner, which brought him a^ain from the weD of Sirab: but David knew It not.

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, JkM^i f took him aside in the gate to speak with him > quietly, and smote him there ''under the fiah rt&, that he died, for Uie Uood of i Asahel bis brother.

able U the lot of a king, who it govaned by the Keneml of his armvi who may ttrip him of hie power and aigoi^ vhenever tie pleoaesi Witneaa the bte of poor Charlea I. of England, and Lewii XVI. of Franoe. Military men, above all ouiera, thould never be iDtruited with any eivU power; and should be great only in the JUld.

Tem 13. Rrc^ Ounjtnt bring lWxhaI\ Da;vid tiad alrcady ate w.vt» at Hebrou i and none of them could have Bud) preleiuioiw to UgiUmaey as Hicbal, who had been taken away from him, and married to Phaliiel. However diilreMiiig it vae, to take ber from a hiubaod who loved her most tenderly, (tee verse 16.) yet prudence and policy required that he dwuld streofthen hie own intereet in the kingdnn aa much as poHibte; and that he diould not leave a princeos in the posMuion of a man, who migjit, in her right, have made pretensions to the throne. Besides, idte was his own lamiil wife i and ha had a right to demand her when he pleased.

Terse 14. Delieer me my v{fe\ It is stqmosed that he meant to screen Abner i ana to prevent that viote/iM which he might have ttsed in carrrii^ off Hidial.

VarsB 16. Wolfing bthmf her] If RsnuiiM affection did nM still BUbnit betwera David and Miehal, it was a pi^ to have taken her from I%altiel; who bad ber to wife oroia the ooiqojnt audurity ot ber fa&tr and her k^. Nevertheless David bad a legal ripit to tw, as she bad never been dtvoroed: for she was taken from htm by the hand of violence.

Verse la Tht Lord hailt tpokm <(f Zhwid] What is ddssptAen? Such a ivomise is not extanu Perhaps it means no more than, ^"HniB, it mi^ be presumed, Ood hath determined."

Terse 21. fie wenX in peaee.1 David dismissed him in good Ulh, having no sinister itmga in referauce to him.

Tarse 27. AnamHaU him Oun] Joab feared tlmt, aftnhaving rendered such essantial esrviees to Davic^ Abner wrndd be made obtain of the bast! he^ therefbre, determined to prevent it, by murdering the man, under pnlaaes of ftvaofiiw tfas fatth ef his Sn^ IsAol.

28 T And afterward, when David heard tit, be said, I and my kingdom are gtiiltless befiwe the Lord for ever ftvm the ' Uood ^ Abner the aon

29 1 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his Other's house; and let there not * fail frmn the house of Joab one 'that hath an issne, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

30 So Joab and Abishai hts brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother * Asahel at Oibeon in the battle.

31 1 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, * Rend yoor clothes, and < gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And Kmg David hvmadf fUlowed the 'bier.

32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and tfa« king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33 And the king^ lamented over Abner, and ■aid, Died AIhiw as a • fbol dieth?

34 Thy haodi werenottKrand.northyftetiral into letters: as a man fiAeiA beibre • wicmd men, so fellest thou. And all tbe peo^ wepl a^iin over him.

35 And when all the people came ■toeame David to eat taeat wh3e it wasyet day, David sware. saying, * So do God to me, ana more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, * till the sim be down.

36 And all the people took notice of it, and it 'pleased them: as whateoerer the king did pleased all the peot^e.

37 For aJl tbe peof^ and all laraei aiderstood that day that it waa Bot <^tbe kin^ to daj Abner the son of Ner.

33 And the king said nqto his servants. Know ye not that there is a fvince and a great man lallen this day in Israel 1

39 And I am this day ' weak, tho^h an^oted king; and these men, the sons of Z^ruiah, ■ be too hard for me: * the Lord shsll reward the doer of evil according to hia wickedness.

"nie morder, however, was cnoe of the moat nnprovokeJ and wiekad: and siu^ was the power and influeaoe <f this ne&rioua general, diat tht king dared not to hnag him to justice for his crime. In tbe sane way he nwdered Amoao, a liule tim« aflerwanl. See ch. xz. ver. IQ. Joab was a cool-blooded, finished monlerer. "IVeaaon and murder ever keep together like two yoke-devils.**

Terse29. Lei if ruf on A< Aea<iJ All these verts ov be rendered in the /wfitrv tense: it irilf rest en the head <tf Joab, Ac. "Diis was a prophetie deebtmtia^ wfeich sufficiently showed the displsaswfs «f God agamat diss execrable mao.

yttrmtlX. Datid. »«^to Joah^ He commandsd hn l» take on him the port of a principal mourner.

VerK 33. TAe Aing lammttd seer Abner} TTiis!»• mentation, though diorl, is very partietic It is a high strain of EK>etry; but the swaeura caimot be essihraseir* tained. Our own translation ipay be Masnrsd Burnt Dlid Abwa a*i Mil

He was not taken away by tbe handof JwMea oorte baUU, nor by accident: he died the death of a oalpB^ hgr felling into the bands of a villain.

This soiig was a heavjr reproof toJoab: and iBastham galled him extremely, bnog sung by all dte people.

Verse 36. 7VU people took Roffwl Thciy saw that As king's grief was nnoere, and diatbehad no part Mr dsvioa in ihe murder of Aboer; see ver. 37. _

Verse 39. / am lUs dsy «sa*] Bad Abw Gvs^aD the uibes of Israel would OS va been faron^ andsr my government.